


closer to you

by mmtion



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, First Date, First Meeting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-27
Updated: 2015-08-27
Packaged: 2018-04-17 13:55:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4669106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mmtion/pseuds/mmtion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>from that tumblr post: 'imagine that you’ve been stood up by your douche of a girlfriend on date night and the waitress keeps asking if you’re ready to order but you keep asking for more time hoping that she’s just late. people are starting to look at you with those apologetic looks like they know and you start to feel worse and worse about the whole situation but as you decide to just get up and leave, this girl you’ve never seen sits down explaining loudly “sorry i’m so late, babe, traffic is crazy right now.” and she quietly adds, “just go with it, yeah? whoever didn’t bother to show up is a dick.”' </p><p>Or; where Iris comes to Barry's rescue.</p>
            </blockquote>





	closer to you

This was almost definitely a bad idea. Ex’s always have ulterior motive, Barry definitely should have known that, this was _such a bad idea_. He’s sweating now as the waiter looks over for the third time.

Play it cool, Allen, maybe she’s late. Except he’s already texted the number Linda (fucking Linda, see if he ever emails Groupons to her again) gave him, and no reply. And also, Barry himself was fifteen minutes late, which, well, Linda should’ve warned this mystery girl about anyway so whatever.

Someone on another table side-eyes him, leans to whisper something to his partner. Barry shrinks further down in his chair. Fucking Linda.

A waiter comes over. "Sir, may I get you a drink?"

"Another glass of water, please," he says, more meekly than he probably was aiming for. The waiter narrows her eyes but walks off regardless. Barry checks his phone again. No message.

He dials Linda's number, and says to her answer machine, "Linda Park if this was a deliberate set-up because you think I stole your stupid Sex in the City box-set, I just want you to know that I did and I broke all the finale discs and then sold it on eBay.” He hangs up, kind of satisfied even though he knows for a fact that she lent her brother in Florida the box set and he's the one who sold it. But it makes him feel a little better about the situation.

The glass of water is plopped down on his table, and he says a quiet thanks to the waiter already rushing off to another table.

"Oh, sweetie!" He looks up in shock, expecting the blonde Linda had described. Instead, a dark-haired gorgeous woman is climbing into the chair opposite and clicking her fingers loudly for the waiter. "Excuse me, waiter! A glass of red for each of us, the older the better. Thanks!"

"Uh," says Barry, partly because he's really confused and partly because, well, he's not normally any smoother when confronted by bold and beautiful women.

"I'm so sorry I'm late babe, there was such terrible traffic! I think there must have been an accident on the freeway, it was terrible." Her voice is weirdly loud, which adds to his complete confusion, until she leans in grabs his hand resting on the table, and whispers, "Okay, if I'm overstepping, feel free to tell to fuck off but you looked kind of like a sad puppy?"

He winces. Of course it's only pity that brings a woman so out of his league to him. "I think I've been stood up," he explains.

"Yeah, I figured." She twists her lips in commiseration. "But if she leaves a guy like you sitting alone, she's a dumbass."

And he can’t help the flare of hope at that, or at the shy smile she sends him. The waiter sets down two glasses of red wine with a much friendlier smile. Barry takes a sip, letting out a pleased sound at the taste. He sets down his glasses and sees that the woman is tracking the dart of his tongue over his lips. Her gaze flickers back to his eyes, but her smile just turns unapologetic.

He coughs into his hand bashfully, because it’s just sunk in that maybe she actually is flirting with him. “I, uh, still don’t know your name.” He says, quietly so the noisy woman across from them doesn’t hear.

“Oh, of course,” she mimics slapping her forehead in stupidity. “I’m Iris.”

“Pleased to meet you, I’m Barry.” They clink their glasses together, and the way Iris’s long fingers curl around the glass curve does something strange to Barry’s gut. “So, how come you aren’t on a date yourself?”

She twists her lips. “I actually was.”

He jolts so quickly the table jolts with him as if most of their table neighbours weren’t already sneaking curious glances at them. “Are you kidding? Shit, Iris, you don’t have to stay with me, go-”

She laughs, and Barry, despite his embarrassment at having her date watch them, can’t help but track how her head flings back and her long throat works. “No, honestly, he left ten minutes ago and I’m never going to be seeing him again.”

He settles with relief. “Oh, thank god.” Then he remembers himself. “I mean, not that I’m glad that your date went terribly, um, except that I kind of am.”

Her smile widens. “Yeah? Well, I have to tell you, Barry,” (and the way she says his name sends shivers down his spine). “That the main reason he left the date early, apart from the fact I didn’t laugh at his nasty jokes, was that I kept sneaking glances at you.”

And he thinks, I fucking love you, Linda Park.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> EDIT: currently working on a new Westallen fic (a Four Weddings and a Funeral AU) and would love a beta reader! Please get in touch in the comments or find me on tumblr (marvelmasturbation.tumblr) if you'd be up for it!


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